LETTER: Bike lanes causing congestion

Since the introduction of bike lanes at the intersection of Fort Street and Foul Bay Road, it has been at times a massive traffic jam.

With the light at Bee Street and the short duration of the light at Fort and Foul Bay, traffic can be lined up as far back as the high school during rush hours. Having two lanes reduced to one at Bee means traffic turning left toward the rec centre holds up traffic going into town. Drivers are now cutting through the bike lane to get around turning vehicles.

Again, having two lanes into one past Foul Bay is a great way to create congestion. Turning left from Fort onto Foul Bay towards the shopping centre is also very risky. With so many tall vehicles and minivans in the opposite left turn lane, it makes it difficult to see oncoming traffic. A dedicated left turn lane off Fort onto Florence Street is not really needed as traffic there is residential. Perhaps city planners could reverse that decision and put the dedicated left onto Bee Street which has more traffic thus aiding the traffic flow into town.

William Jesse

Oak Bay

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